Fuselage



w. H. BARLING.

FUSELAGE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 24. 1919.

Patented July 27, 1920.

H N w w UNITED STATES PATENT oFFljc WALTER BARLING, 0F LONDN, ENGLAND.

-FUSELAG'E Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1920.

Application led November 24, 1919. Serial No. 340,188.l

the construction of semi-monocoque fuselages for aircraft, its use 1s not limited to such structures but it may be utilized for the construction of various structures requiring lightness and strength, such, for example, as submarine shells and automobile stream line bodies.

The semi-monocoque fuselage construction consists essentially of a plurality of longitudinal frame members, or longerons, which are supported by a series of transverse frame members, or rings. A covering, or skin, of thin material is supported by and secured to the longerons and rings, and in order that the skin may rest upon and be secured to bot-h the longerons and the rings it is necessary that the outer surfaces of' these parts should be substantially fiush at their points of intersection. To accomplish this it has been customary to adapt either one of. two methods of construction. One method con'- sists in slotting the rings transversely to form recesses to receive the longerons. This construction is unsatisfactory because it tends to weaken the ring structure, and ,even if the ring.r be made of sufficient size to compensate for the portions cut away, there is a tendency on the part of the rings to split circumferentially from., the recesses. The second method consists in securing the longerons to either the inner or outer circumferences of the rings' and then packing the inner member between its Points of intersection with the outer member to provide a supporting surface for the skin. If the longerons are secured to the outer surfaces of the rings it is necessary to provide the circumference of each ring, between the longerons, with filler strips, or packing, which will bring this surface flush with the outer surface of the longerons. If the longerons are secured to the inner surfaces of the rings then the longerons must be packed to bring their outer surfaces flush with the outer surfaces of the rings. This construction is costly and expensive to build.

The object of the present invention is to provide a transverse frame member, or ring,

for a structure of this kind which will provide supporting surfaces upon which the skin may rest and to which it may be secured without resorting to either of the expedients to which I have referred and which will be of a light strong construction and of low cost.

vide a frame member, or ring, to which the skin may be applied inflat sections, thus doingV away with the slow and expensive method of shaping the skin sections to conform to the contour of the rings and longerons.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the construction is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a fuselage embodying my invention; Fig.l 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the fuselage of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of one of the rings, partly broken away; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of the ring.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodimentl of my invention and have shown the same as applied to a semi-monocoque fuselage for anlairplane. In this construction I have utilized a base ring, which will hereinafter be called the hoop to distinguish from the ring as a whole, and lhave mounted about the periphery of this hoop a series of supporting members or bars which are arranged in the plane of the hoop and which have their ends spaced apart to receive the longerons. rIhe supporting members or bars may be rigidly secured to the hoop in any suitable manner which will not close the spaces between the ends of the bars. It will be understood that the construction here shown has been chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that the shape and arrangement of the several parts may be variedr to accommodate them to structures of different shapes.

In the particular construction here Shown It is also an object of the invention to pro- I have utilized a base hoop 1 which is circular in shape and which may be of a laminated wood construction, or may be of any suitable material and construction. Mounted upon this base hoop are a series of supporting members or bars 2 which are here shown as flat straight bars arranged in the plane of the base hoop and extending tangentially thereof. rIfhe several bars have their adjacent ends spaced apart to receive the longerons 3 between them. The bars may l be all of one length and may be all arranged in similar positions, as shown in Fig. 2, but obviously by making the Abars of different lengths the exterior contour of the ring as a whole may be changed and it will be understood not only 'that the shape of the structure as a whole may be varied by varying the relative lengths of, and arrangement of, the supporting bars Ybut also that the- I prefer that there should be one o these.

side members on each side of the ring structure, as shown at 4, and that they should be continuous. ployed two continuous side members, or plates, which are of an internal diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the base hoop and are of an external diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the completed ring, so that their outer edges are approximately flush with the outer edges of the bars 2. The outer edges of the side members, orv plates, are preferably shaped to conform to the contour given to the ring by the supporting bars and in the preferred construction these side plates will have their outer edges polygonal.

The side members are rigidly secured to both the base hoop and the several supporting bars by means of screws, rivets, or other suitable fastening devices, and when they have been so attached to the hoop and the supporting bars a light weight unitary structure of great strength has been provided. The sidemembers 'are provided intheir outer edges with recesses or notches which register with the spaces between the ends of the bars and form seats for the longerons. These recesses may be of sufficient depth to permit the longerons to rest upon the base hoop if desired, but this is not necessary as the longerons may rest upon the bottoms of the recesses. In the present drawings I have shown the recesses ofboth depths, the longerons being of different widths, but in the commercial construction As here` shown I have em-A recesses of a single depth would probably be used. A covering, or skin, 5 is supported on and rigidly secured to the outer surfaces of the supporting bars and of the longerons, and because of the straight flat outer surfaces of the bars it is possible to apply the skin in Hat sections, as distinguished from the molded sections commonly employed thus not only effecting a material saving in the cost of the construction but also making a lvery material saving in time. The outer edges of the longerons arey shown as beveled in opposite directions to provide surfaces Hush with the surfaces of the adjacent supporting bars and the skin may be applied by laying the flat sections upon the bars and longerons, with their edges abutting, and attaching the sections to the bars and the longerons by suitable fastening devices, such as screws.

In the preferred construction ofthe device I have kemployed two side members, or plates, 4, but it will be obvious that a single member could be used either in rthe construction shown in Figs. l to 5 or-in a modified form of construction. In Fig. 6 I have shown a slight modification of the ring structure in which I employ one side member 7 only. In this `construction the base hoop 8 is divided circumferentially into two parts and the skin supporting bars 9 are also divided longitudinally into two parts. The side member 7 which connects the bars to the hoop is arranged between the two parts of the hoop and the two parts of the bar and these parts are rigidly secured thereto by suitable fastening devices, such as screws,

' thus providing a structure which is I-shaped in cross section instead of the box shaped structure Fig. 4. In this form of the de- 105 vice, as well as inthe form above described, the side ring may if desired comprise a single continuous plate but this is not essential as in either instance it may be preferable under certain circumstances, particularly in large structures, to form the connecting, or side, members in sections.

From the` foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda very simple and easily built ring structure in which the base hoop is of a smooth continuous construction so that it is.very easy to make, and being without notches or angles is mechanically strong, particularly when it is of a laminated construction, and'in which 120 the outer circumference of the ring comprises a series of iiat surfaces to which the fiat sections of the skin may be applied. The whole construction is very light in Weightand of a very strong, durable char- 12B acter which can be manufactured at a relativel low cost.

W ile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited what I claim as new and desire to secure byv Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure of the character described, a frame membercomprising a base hoop, a series of bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop and having their intermediate portions in contact with sai hoop and their end portions spaced from said hoop, the adjacent bars having their ends spaced',y apart to form a recess between them, and means for rigidly securing said bars to said hoop.

2. In a structure of the character described, a frame member comprising a base hoopA and a series of bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop, extending tangentially thereto and rigidly secured thereto, .the adjacent ends lof said bars being spaced apart to form recesses.

3. In a structure of the character de,- scribed, a frame member comprising a `base hoop and a series of bars arranged in the plane of said hoop and spaced about the periphery thereof, said bars being supported between their ends on said hoop and having their end portions out of engagement therewith and spaced longitudinally one from the other, and a side member overlapping said hoop and said bars and rigidly secured thereto.

4. In a structure of the Lcharacter described, a frame member comprising a base hoop, a series of bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop and extending tangentially thereto, said bars having their adjacent ends spaced apart to form recesses, and side members rigidly secured to sa1d hoop and said bars on both sides thereof.

5. In a structure of the character described, a frame member comprising abase hoop, a series of bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop and extending tangentially thereto, said bars having their adjacent ends spaced apart to form recesses,

- and continuous side members arranged on both. sides ofsaid hoop and said bars and rigidly secured thereto, said side members having their outer edges notched` adjacent to the spaces between the ends of said bars.

6. In a structure of the character described, a frame member comprising a base hoop, a series of bars having flat outer surfaces arranged about the periphery of said hoop in the plane thereof, said bars having their adjacent ends spaced apart to form recesses, and side members arranged on both sides of said hoop and said bars and rigidly secured thereto, said side members having their outer edges polygonal in shape and provided with notches adjacent to the spaces between the ends of said bars.

7. In a structure of the character described, the combinationwith 'a series of transverse frame members each comprising.

? base hoop, a series of tangential bars ar,- ranged about the periphery of said. hoop and having their adjacent ends spaced apart to 'form recesses, and side members rigidly secured to bothl said hoop and said bars on -both sides thereof, of longitudinal frame members mounted in the recesses between the ends of the tangential bars of the respective transverse frame members, and covering material resting upon and secured to the outer surfaces of said tangential bars and said longitudinal frame members.-

8. In a` structure of the character described, .the combination with a series of transverse frame members each comprising a base hoop, a series of tangential bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop, having flat outer surfaces and having their adjacent vends spaced apart to form recesses,

and side members arranged on the'opposite sides of and rigidly secured to said hoop and said bars, of longitudinal. frame members mounted in the recesses between the ends of the tangential bars of the respective transverse frame members, and flat sections of covering` material resting upon and secured to the fiat surfaces of said tangential bars and said longitudinal frame members.

9. In a structure of the character described, an endless base member having a smooth continuous periphery, and a series of supporting members arranged about the exterior surface of said base membersubstantially in the plane thereof, said supporting members being rigidly secured to said base member and having flat skin supporting surfaces. v

10. In a structure of the character described, an endless base member having a smooth continuous periphery, and a series of supporting members arranged about and rigidly secured to said base member and having flat supporting surfaces, longitudinal frame members extending transversely to said base member between the ends of the respective supporting members, and flat sections of covering material resting upon and secured to .said longitudinal frame members and said supporting members.

11. Inl a structure of the character described, an endless base member having a smooth continuous periphery, and a series of supporting members arranged about the periphery of said base member and having flat supporting surfaces, and a connecting member overlapping the base member and the supporting members and rigidly secured thereto. A

12. In a structure of the character described, a frame membercomprisinga base hoop, a series of bars arranged about the periphery of said hoop and extending tangentially thereto, said bars having their adjacent ends spaced apart, and a connecting member rigidly secured to said hoop and said bars to connect the vsame one to the other.

13. In a structure of the character described, a curved base member, a supporting member mounted between its ends on the outer periphery of said curved base member and having a flat supporting surface, and a connecting member overlapping said base member and said supporting member and rigidly secured thereto.

14. In a structure of the character de.- scribed, an endless base member, and a series of supporting members arranged about the outer periphery of said base member, Supported between their ends vthereon and having flat supporting surfaces, and a s' le connecting member arranged on each slde of and overlapping said base member and said supporting members and rigidly secured thereto.

15. In a structure of the character de-V scribed, a base hoop, a series of skin-support?- ing members arranged about the exterior surface of said hoop and extending taugentially thereto, and means for rigidly securing said skin-supporting members to said hoop.

In testimony whereofI I aiix my signature hereto.

WALTER H. BAEL-ING. 

